I'm bored ?

This is a place to gain some understanding of cat behavior and to assist people in training their cats and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other cat owners and lovers...not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

So my 6 month old kitten, Hunter, is a big boy. Hes a big lovebug. He has plenty of toys, loves his straws, medicine cups, attacks the laser pointer like crazy. He has his little carpet covered furniture with his "tunnel" along side his scratch post, which he uses (Thank God). He gets plenty of exercise rough housing with my Yorkie. Problem is, I think hes bored. Sometimes he'll wander into the kitchen almost yeowling ( is that even a word? lol) Kind of like a Tom cat ready to mate. (Hunter is fixed) So I feed him, not hungry. He gets bored with things easily. LOVES to be up high. I can't afford a huge cat tree right now, plus I wouldn't know where to put it! I just don't know how to keep him occupied. I can't sit down all day and move the laser pointer around. He gets bored of that too. Of course he finds ways to get in trouble. climbing the curtains ( anyone know how to stop that????) climbing the entertainment center, behind the TV, inside the glass shelves!!!! He walks all over my book shelf, computer desk. and he even managed to disconnect my cable from the tv!! Maybe its just him being a kitten. I've never had cats be this crazy. He is wild!! (not feral, not that I know of, just insane!!) Ideas? Comments? toys that will keep him mentally and physically occupied?!?!? lol Suggestions please...

Hmmm well you can throw his favourite food around so he can chase it, get a catnip filled toy, my kitty loves this circuit thing with a ball in it, it has holes for her to reach into and push the ball around and she often self initiated playing with this. You can make a box maze by cutting holes in a few boxes and connecting them, you can get a large plastic container, put balls with bells in it and catnip and or treats, put small holes in the lid for his paws and close it up, he will have fun playing with the balls and trying to get the treats through the small holes. My kitty plays with a mini scratch pad that you hang on a door handle and it has a toy at the top that she tries to attack and the toy detaches if she pulls on it enough and then she plays with that. I think I have some pictures of some of these toys on my profile.. They have many good toys at pet stores, I even got this crinkly plastic bag with a ball in it that distributes it's weight around so it looks like there's a cat in the bag and my kitty will follow it around forever LOL let me know if u need more suggestions

Oh and one more thing I forgot you can put a bird feeder in a tree outside a window he likes to look out of or even hook it up to the window and he will enjoy watching the birds. I plan on doing this eventually

The bird feeder is a miracle for us. They sit in the window alot. Tigger gets "The crazies" every day too...One thing he really loves, is just a box -the corrugated kind that he can shred eventually. Over the weekend I took down a fake grapeleaf thing I used as a valance over my picture windows. I set it on the floor with the intentions of washing it in my laundry tub, but Tigger played with it for over an hour, jumping on it and sliding like he was running for the homerun save. He goes nuts for paper bags too, especially with crinkled paper in it. I just try & use things randomly around the house for him to find. Or the little rings from milk jugs are a big hit round here.

I don't think Hunter will sit long enough to watch birds. He is always on the move. The only time I ever see him sit/lay for more than 5 minutes is when he is sleeping. I bought a clicker to try and "train" him to get off the curtains, sit, etc... I think he got sit down so far, but thats the only time I get his attention, when I have treats. I don't want him to be a fat cat, so I monitor what I give him. I just don't know how to let him express his energy in a good way. He is ALWAYS after the curtains. I have one of those round circular toys with a mouse in it. He puts his paw in it and tries to get it. Lasts about 30 seconds if that. Its like he is so bored with the toys he has now. Catnip does absolutely nothing for him. I even bought the "Yeooww!" catnip which smells horribly. Nothing. Not even a lick. I dont even know if a tall cat tree will solve anything. he does love to be up high though. He walks around with this face like "theres nothing to do mom" I feel bad. I don't live in a huge house so there are no stairs to race up and down. Its definately hard to find something to buy for Hunter that he'll play with and that my Yorkie won't think its hers... I've bought Hunter so many things that he doesn't play with. They're just sitting in his toy box. (Yes, Hunter has his own toy box) Maybe I'll see what other cats are playing with these days...

Maybe he needs another kitty to keep him company. My sister, Tiger, was very needy, so Mommy and Daddy got me. I'm too active and rambunctious for Tiger, though, so when Mommy and Daddy got Happy and saw how busy he keeps me, they realized how much I needed more stimulation than Tiger could give me. Now we're just a happy, small herd of kitties.

I,too, would suggest getting another kitty so Hunter has a friend. My Mommy's last cat she had as an only cat but this time got 2 and I am so happy she adopted both me and Zack. We have so much fun playing with each other. That sure would keep him from getting bored. Plus great entertainment for the humans.

At 8 months old we still arent impressed with catnip. We do love to climb. We love to watch the birds out the windows.

One inexpensive fun thing we love is ping pong balls. We love to bat them around the house. But nothing is more fun than having another kitty to chase around!!

Well getting another kitty isn't really in my budget right now. Plus I do have a dog and Hunter plays with her all the time. I think he has adopted Teaka (my Yorkie) has his little "woman". He grooms her, make sure she's clean, licks her eye boogies. Its a little odd. Then again, when I got Hunter, Teaka cared for him like he was a puppy. I do think I need to get a tall cat tree. He loves to climb! And I want to get a couple more wand toys for him. I'll figure something out I'm sure. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Problem solved!!! Friday I bought him this wand toy. OMG he absolutely LOVES it! It has a wand, green string, and these 2 large colored feathers on the bottom. I swirl it around and Hunter goes nuts!! The feathers even twist in the wind making it look like its flying. He plays with it so much and so hard that he has to lay on the hardwood floor and take a break. He even pants like a dog!! He jumps and jumps, I think he jumps maybe 4 feet in the air. its crazy!! Since I've gotten this, he hasn't once climbed on the curtains. I think he is so much happier. He gets great exercise with it, and it was cheap! $6.99. Oh and the best part... the feathers are replaceable!! YAY!!!

that's good! I cannot list how many toys I have gone through trying to find "the right one" and Tig still likes his cardboard box the best. We are gonna be making the kitties a big ol cat tree as he loves to be up high too.